


Behind the Curtain

by LesbianLametron



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, First Kiss, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Kind of cliche, M/M, Mutual Pining, this fic makes fun of itself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-10-07 03:28:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17358068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LesbianLametron/pseuds/LesbianLametron
Summary: Shiro knows that Lance puts on act to make himself seem cooler. He's over it and decides to write Lance off without a second thought. One day he happens upon Lance being his real self and Shiro is blown away. Since that day, Shiro does everything he can to see another glimpse of Lance's true self.





	Behind the Curtain

**Author's Note:**

> This was from the first pdf zine ("Kiss Me") I was ever a part of and I just realized now, I never posted it anywhere. The prompt for this was "Interrupting Kiss".

Their story was cliché as hell and Shiro knew that, but then again what about high school was not cliché? Millions of movies were made romanticizing the experience and maybe Shiro had a bit of a habit of doing that himself. If he was going to characterize himself, he’d be the jock on track to be team captain of baseball team next year. Popular, but bored of how things were. If he was the jock, then he’d need some beautiful love interest, that slightly weird or unpopular girl who is just one makeover away from gorgeous.

So maybe it wasn’t quite like that. Lance wasn’t a girl, nor did he need a makeover. Shiro thought he was beautiful the way he was, and well, so did the half the junior class. Lance had this way of being able to talk with almost everyone. He was cheesy and constantly chasing after girls, but they loved him for it anyway. They laughed at his over used pick up lines and some even fell for his patented smolder.

That wasn’t what drew Shiro in though, no, it was something else entirely. When Lance showed what was behind that “ladykiller” smile. Shiro honestly didn’t think going to see plays was his thing until one day he was cutting through the auditorium to get to practice. It was easier and faster than walking around the building. He saw Lance up on the stage and was about to shake his head, of course he’d love the spotlight, but then Lance started to deliver his lines.

It was some dramatic scene where Lance was having a monologue about being scorned by his former lover. His face had become serious and the way he delivered his lines, so honest and full of emotion, had Shiro transfixed. That day Shiro saw stars in Lance’s eyes, ones he was not purposefully putting there to impress anyone. No, they were rare and beautiful like a sort of vulnerability saved only for moments like this. Shiro could have tried to write it down, to paint it, to describe it, but he’d never find the right words to capture the beauty of Lance’s acting. It was as if the universe had caused the stars to align just for this moment. There was only Lance and Shiro, but Lance didn’t even see him.

It was barely more than two minutes and the drama director, Coran was praising Lance for his performance. He was the type of teacher that tried to be cool and had all his students call him by his first name. As quickly it started, the moment was gone. Lance laughed, brushing his hair back from his forehead, claiming something about how naturally performing came to him.

Shiro scoffed and shook his head, walking out of the theater. He wanted to write Lance off in that moment, but he couldn’t stop thinking of the small glimpse behind the curtain he’d gotten in that moment. His guard was up and Shiro craved to see the view beyond the wall. So Shiro secretly became one of Lance’s fans.

And Lance had no clue.

From Lance’s point of view, he was the theater nerd, though a very attractive one, with a cliché, secret crush on the school’s baseball golden boy. Of course, he wanted to defy the gay theater nerd stereotype and besides, he did like girls…but he also liked boys. But he would never admit that. So for now, he was okay pining after Shiro while still putting on his normal persona for the ladies. He could pretend that nothing had changed.

That was until he and Shiro got paired together for a history project. They would have to work very closely together and see each other outside of school. Lance’s mind flashed to the millions of high school movies where a couple gets together because they’re forced to work together. 

Yes, a huge part of him wanted this to turn out just like that. The other part was so anxious that Shiro didn’t like him and would avoid him after this. Well, they weren’t really in the same social circle, but they did sometimes see each other at parties. He would hate for those to be awkward.

* * *

 

Lance would be lying if he said he wasn’t equally as nervous and excited to spend time with Shiro outside of school. This would be the first time they hung out one on one. It was a big step. What did he talk about? Shiro was so cool, he should probably make himself look cool or sound cool or something, right? He took a deep breath and knocked on the front door. 

He was greeted by a beautiful woman with dark hair and light bluish gray eyes. She smiled warmly at him and Lance suddenly understood that Shiro got his good looks from his mother. “Hello, you must be Takashi’s friend, Lance. He’s in the living room.” 

“Thank you ma’am, you have a beautiful home.” Lance was of course very polite when it came to meeting parents. He followed her to the living room and greeted Shiro. Shiro of course got right to down to business, discussing the different options of what they could do with their presentation. Even if he was a jock, Shiro was also a total nerd. 

Shiro had been excited about Lance coming over as well. Now that Lance wasn’t around his whole entourage, maybe he would finally relax and be himself. During one of their breaks, Shiro quickly found that wasn’t the case. 

“Dude, your mom is an amazing cook!” Lance commented as he ate the snacks Shiro’s mom had provided them. “And she’s super hot...you know, for a mom.” 

Shiro groaned and shook his head. Why did Lance have to be like this? Shiro was starting to doubt there was anything beyond what Lance put up with his persona. 

What he didn’t know was Lance had to bite his tongue. That he was one breath away from saying no wonder you’re also so good looking. Lance laughed at Shiro’s disgust. “I know, gross, she’s your mom. She does remind me of this scene partner I had in last year’s play.” 

This was his chance. If he could get Lance talking about the play, maybe he could see the real Lance. “Oh yeah, you’re in theater right? What’s that like?” 

“Dude! I love it. It’s so fun put on a show and play different characters. Before this year, I hadn’t been able to be any of the leads. They don’t really let underclassmen be leads because y’know the juniors and seniors have been there longer. It’s a seniority thing much like baseball would be for you.” 

There it was, a small glimpse. 

Lance cleared his throat, “but ever since the High School Musical movies, theater has been seen as cooler! I totally get so many girls’ phone numbers.”

Just like that it was gone again. Like the sun disappearing behind the clouds, Lance was hiding his true self for some reason. 

Shiro started to notice a pattern in the way Lance would talk about girls to him. It was a bit over the top, like he was trying too hard. Trying to look cool. No, that wasn’t it. Lance was trying to cover up for something. It only happened a couple of times, and it was a bit of a hunch, but Shiro was catching on. A couple of times when he “accidentally” brushed his hand with Lance’s hand, lingering just a little too long, Lance would basically forget what he was saying for a moment.

“So I have this date with one of the cheerleaders this weekend. She’s super hot and has the prettiest eyes and the softest hair…” Lance was off again talking about some random girl he refused to name.

Shiro’s eyes narrowed a bit and he pretended like he was listening.  _ Liar _ .

“Yeah and last week I went out with this girl, a friend of Allura’s from our drama class.”

_ Lies. _

“She had the softest lips and she was one of the best kissers I’ve ever—”

_ No, she’s not.  _ Shiro just couldn’t take it anymore. Lance was showboating and he was sick of it. 

Lance hadn’t gone out with any of these girls. Not once. Shiro was jealous and if that was Lance’s ploy, it was clearly working. He leaned forward, closing the space between them, and just kissed Lance in the middle of Lance’s sentence.

It only lasted a couple of seconds before Lance pulled away, interrupting them in shock. “…wait why?”

“You were talking too much.” Shiro teased him, still waiting to see if Lance enjoyed it. He may have been completely out of line. He may have overstepped and completely read the situation wrong. 

Lance stood up, a bit angry that Shiro had just kissed him out of nowhere. “What? So you just kiss me to shut me up? I wasn’t even ready. My mouth was open and everything, I swear I’m better kisser than that. Is this a joke? Because that’s really cruel Shiro! I thought you were this nice guy and I like you and—oh no.”

“I’m glad I just guessed right. I like you too. I have since I saw you performing that monologue for the spring play.” Shiro smiled up at him.

“You do? I thought you barely knew who I was.”

“I’ve always noticed you, but I didn’t like you until I saw your acting. It was breathtaking…unlike your kissing.” Shiro decided to put in a little joke.

“No wait, give me another chance. I am better than that.”

“Prove it.” Shiro stood up, leaning close to Lance, but not close enough. Lance smiled at him for a moment and took Shiro’s face between his hands, giving him the real kiss they deserved. It was still chaste and relatively tame, but it was their first kiss. There would be more to come. 

“Can I ask you something?” Shiro murmured quietly, after they parted. 

Lance nodded, still a little self-conscious about his kissing. So yeah, maybe Shiro was his first kiss. He wouldn’t admit that out loud, but it really was all an act. 

“Why are you always insistent on talking about girls like that? It’s like you’re putting on a show.” Shiro thought it might be best to be direct, and also he thought Lance would talk to him without the mask now they knew each other’s feelings.

Lance swallowed and chewed his lip, this wasn’t the question he had been expecting at all. He could avoid the question, but Shiro had this way of seeing right through him. He would be able to tell it was a lie. “Because I was just a theater nerd. No one knew who I was, so I started to be who they wanted me to be. I was liked, I became popular so I thought that was the cool thing to do.” 

“Popularity isn’t all it's cracked up to be.” Shiro shrugged, showing his true colors about everything to the only person he knew would understand. 

“Yeah but without it I would have never gotten invited to the same parties as you did! I never would have even gotten you to notice me.” Lance blurted out and suddenly realized what he said. Yeah, they had confessed their feelings, but not to this extent. 

Shiro smiled, and felt his heart fluttering in his chest. This was what he was waiting for, a true reveal, the curtain was gone. “How long have you liked me?” 

“A while...since last year.” He looked up and met Shiro’s eyes and saw him smiling down at him. That embarrassment, putting on the act, it had all been worth it just to see that smile. “Stop looking at me like that.” 

“I like this version of you so much better.” 

That was the first time Lance had really heard that and he wanted to melt into a puddle at Shiro’s feet. If Shiro wanted him to just be himself then that’s who he would be. For the first time in a while, he didn’t feel exhausted, he didn’t feel the need to try so hard. Shiro liked him the way he was. That’s how it usually went in those cheesy movies he watched with his mom. The jock actually fell for the nerd who finally accepted who they were. So yeah, maybe high school love stories were every bit as cliche as all the movies made them out to be. That didn’t matter, this was their story and Lance loved it. 


End file.
